Electrical cut-out or circuit-breaker



W. H. ILLINGWQHTH.

ELECTRICAL CUT- CUT 0R CIRCUIT BREAKER.

/uPucMloN FILED mu, 1920.

Patented Oct. 4, `192L 2 SHEETS-SHEE? I.

lave/1to1" @wm f W. H. ILLINGWORTH.

ELECTRICAL CUT-OUT 0R CLRCUITBREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 8,1920` 1,392,873. Patented @015. 4, 1921.

PATENT CFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY ILLINGWOBTH, 0F HALIFAX, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICAL lCUT-OUT 0R CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

Application led July 8, 1920. Serial No. 394,822.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS 0F THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY ILLiisGwon'rH, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing atl Ruskin Terrace, Lee Mount, Halifax, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Cut-Outs or Circuit-Breakers, (for which I have filed an application in Great Britain, February 18, 1919, Patent No. 138,439,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrical cutout or circuit breaker of the kind described in my prior U. S. Patent No. 1,316,095, granted September 16, 1919, with the exception that in this case, one or both contacts` are situated to one side of the column and communicate therewith through the intervention of one or more branch columns each of which is larger in cross sectional area than the main column. The latter also is reduced in cross sectional area at any predetermined portion of its length for a short distance which may for example be half an inch. This construction insures that the point of highest resistance will always be 'situated at the reduced portion. The position of the portion of reduced'area is varied for different amperages buty it is always so placed that the whole of the mercury that 1s above the reduced ortion will be discharged over into the wel when the column parts. The upper end of the column is advantageously restricted above the reduced portion to insure that under no circumstance will vaporization take place below the reduced portion. The osition of one of these branch columns in re ation to an overflow or well determines the sensibility of the apparatus and also whether it is to work by the breaking of the main column or merely by the expansion thereof. When the apparatus is employed on a distribution board or other class of work in which a small current is used it is provided with a pum which is automatically actuated to remake the column by tilting the apparatus.

1n the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of an electrical cut-out constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3 a plan with the top cover removed.

Fig. 4 is. a vertical section of a carrier provided with a detachable core.

Iig. 5 is a. plan of a carrier with four columns arranged in parallel.

.Fig 6 is a section showing a carrier provided with an automatically actuated pump. Fig. 7 is a section showing a form of horizontal carrier and Fig. 8 shows a pump applied t0 a horizontal carrier.

eferring to Fig. 1, a carrier A is constructed from porcelain or lother appropriate insulating material and has a passage a communicating with two branch passages a1 a2. a indicates the portion of reduced cross sectional area and the portion a4 that is above same is shown smaller than the portion of the passage that is below a3 for the reason already given. The length of the passage a below the restricted portion a3 is immaterial and can be re ulaltcd to suit any particular requirement. formed in the top of the carrier at one side of the assage a is a well oroverflow aP, in which is fitted a transparent inspection tube or indicator a.X to show when the mercury in the main co1- umn has parted. For this purpose the tube is fitted a little above the bottom of the well above the level of any surplus mercury which remains permanently in the well. The top of the carrier is covered by a cap 0L6 or other suitable lclosure having one or more vent apertures a* for the escape of gas produced by vaporization of mercury and the bottom of the passage is closed by a stopper a8 or other appropriate device. Bolted to the carrier are two metal contacts B B1. The contact B is pivoted through a bayonet slot connection in a spring contact b on an insulating base b2 and the contact B1 is slidably mounted in a similar contact b1 on the insulating base, any suitable packing or jointing material being employed for making a fluid tight joint between the carrier and the contacts. The latter are formed with recesses b3 to receive a body of mercury and given size. For example, if the level is some distance below the top of the overflow. it would be necessary to rely upon vaporization of a portion .of the main column to break the circuit. If the level is level with or only slightly below the top of the column and point of overflow, expansion of' mercury would cause a portion to be precipitated over into the well and immediately, the top of the column falling below the level of the branch passa-ge, the circuit would be broken without breaking the column. This act-ion would of course require less current than would be required to vaporize a portion of the mercury. To utilize the apparatus the passage a is filled with mercury tothe top a, of the well or overflow and until a little of the mercury overflows into the well. When the circuit is broken by a hea-vier current than the apparatus is desi ned for, it can instantly be restored by ti ting the carrier.

-In the example shown in Fig. 4, the carrier is provided with a detachable core having a vulcanite or other tube c of electrical insulatingr material screwed Y`into it, a tight joint between its free end and the carrier being made by asbestos or other pack- To insure that the branch hole in the core will register with the branch passave in the carrier, the core is provided with a ey c2 to enter a key-way a1 in the carrier. To insure tight joints at the endslof the core, packings c3 are employed which become compressed when the stopper as 1s screwed tight. In Fig. 5y a number of columns A1, A2, A3, A* are arranged in parallel and discharge separately into a well a5. In Fig. 6, an automatically actuated pump, comprising a plunger D is mounted in a stufling box d in the c ap a, the said plunger being normally retained at the to end of its stroke by means of a spring 1 encircling the plunger rod d2. When the carrier is tilted a button d3 on the end of the plunger rod comes into contact with a blade spring d* with the result that the plunger is forced in against the action of the sprlng d1 to displace the mercury that may lie between such plunger and the column and force it into the latter. Whenthe plunger has been forced to the end of its stroke, the blade spring d* yields and prevents injury of parts. When the carrier is in the position shown by the broken lines the plunger is just about to be pushed in by further tilting of the carrier. Fig. 7 shows a horizontal lcarrier A with a passage a reduced at a3 and sloping upward a little toward the Well or discharge aperture a5 to insure its being ke t full of mercury duringuse. A lip or ridge a is also provided to separate the column of mercury from the Well or overflow. The branch passage a may be arranged im-` mediately, or some distance behind this ridge and the other branch passage a2 is arranged at the other end of' the passage a. When the column parts, or a sullicient quantity of' mercury is discharged over the ridge into the well or overflow the circuit is broken. To remake the circuit the carrier is tilted, thereby causingv the mercury to fiow back over the lridge into the column. A removable plug or stopper a12 is advantageously provided above the well or overflow for filling or replenishing purposes and a window a13 is also shown for inspection purposes. This type of cut-out is particularly applicable on systems of distribution for underground feeder or distribution boxes. Fig. 8 shows a pump applied to a horizontal carrier. In this example the well or overflow a5 is arranged to constitute the cylinder for the pump plunger D. The latter is actuated by a button da on a rod d2 which passes through a stuing box (l in a cap a and the return movement is effected by a spring d1 which encircles the rod d2.

fhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an electrical cut-out, actuated by the breaking of a column of mercury, the combination of a carrier containing a main passage for the column of mercury, a metal contact situated at one side of the main passage and communicating therewith through a branch passage, a metal contact communicating with another portion of the main passage, an overflow to receive the mercury thrown by vaporization when the column is broken, and an air vent for the free escape of vapor produced by the breaking of the mercury column.

2. In an electrical cut-out, actuated by the breaking of a column of mercury, the combination offa carrier containing a main passage for the column of mercury, the said passage being restricted for a rtion of its length, a metal contact situate at one side of the main assage and communicating therewith throug a branch passage that is larger in cross sectional area than the restricted portion of the main passage, a metal contact communicating with another portion of the main passage, an overiiow to receive the mercury thrown by vaporization when the column is broken, and an air vent for the free escape of vapor produced by the breaking of the mercury column.

3. In an electrical cut-out, actuated by the breaking of a column of mercury, the combination of a carrier containing a main passage having a restricted portion at some part of its length for the column of mercury, a metal contact situated at one side of the main passage and communicating therewith above ythe restricted portion through a branch passage, an overflow communicating with the main passage and situated to one side thereof, and a metal contact communicating with another' portion of the main passage.

4. In an electrical cut-out, actuated by the breaking of a column of mercury, the combination of a carrierI containing a main passage for the column of mercury, an overflow situated at one side of the passage and communicating with the upper end thereof, a branch passage communicating with the main passage below the level of the overiow, a metal contact arranged to make large surface contact with the mercury in the branch passage, a second metal contact arranged to make large surface contact with the mercury, a cover adapted to be attached to the top of the carrier and having .a curved defiecting surface to deflect the mercury from the main column to the overflow, and a vent aperture for the free escape of gas.

5. In an electrical cut-out, actuated by y the breaking' of a column of mercury, the

' cation with the overflow,

combinationv of a carrier provided with two contacts having laterally projecting blades, a main passage for the column of mercury communicating with said contacts andv leading to one of them through a branch passagean overflow situated at one side of the main passage above the branch passage and in open communication with the main passage, an air vent arranged in open communian insulated base provided with two contacts respectively arranged in hinged and sliding .connection with the contact blades, the relative position of the overow, contact blades and hinge being such as to cause mercury to flow from the well into the main passage and re-form the column when the carrier is tilted, and a pump that is automatically actuated by the tilting of the carrier to force mercury into the main passage.

6. In an electrical cut-out, actuated by the breaking of a column of mercury, the combination of a carrier provided with two contacts having laterally projecting blades, a main passage restricted at a portion of its length and communicating with said contacts, the connection between said main passage and contact being through a branch passage, an overflowsituated at one side of the main passage above the branch passa e and in open communication with the main passage, an air Vent arranged in open communication with the overflow, an insulated base provided with two contacts respectively arranged in hinged and sliding connection with the contact blades, and a pump that is automatically actuated by the tilting 'of the carrier to force mercury into the main passa e.

gn testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

wlLLuAM HENRY lLuNCwoRTH.

Witnesses LEONARD H. CROSBY, JN0. BURROW. 

